Plasma processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A plasma processing apparatus includes, in order to efficiently cool an insulating plate having a relatively low thermal conductivity, a process chamber, the insulating plate divided into a plurality of regions and attached airtightly to the ceiling of the process chamber, a planar antenna member placed above the insulating plate and including microwave radiation holes for transmitting therethrough microwave used for generating plasma, and a support frame member supporting the insulating plate divided into a plurality of regions and including a heat medium path for flowing a heat medium along a line by which the insulating plate is divided into a plurality of regions and along a peripheral part of the insulating plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatusused for processing semiconductor wafers and the like by the action of aplasma generated by microwave.

[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art

[0004] In recent years, semiconductor products have been increased indensity and reduced in size to a great degree. Accordingly, somemanufacturing processes of the semiconductor products employ a plasmaprocessing apparatus for such processing as film deposition, etching andashing. In particular, there is a tendency to use a microwave plasmaapparatus since the microwave plasma apparatus can produce a plasma in astable manner even in a high-vacuum state of a relatively low pressure,specifically from about 0.1 to several tens of mTorr, by using themicrowave or a combination of the microwave and a magnetic field from aring-shaped coil to produce a high-density plasma.

[0005] Such a microwave plasma processing apparatus is disclosed forexample in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 3-191073 and 5-343334 andJapanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-181052 filed by the applicant of thepresent application. A general plasma processing apparatus using themicrowave is described briefly below in conjunction with FIGS. 9 and 10.FIG. 9 shows a structure of a conventional and generally employed plasmaprocessing apparatus and FIG. 10 is a plan view of a planar antennamember.

[0006] Referring to FIG. 9, a plasma processing apparatus 2 includes aprocess chamber 4 which can be evacuated, a mount base 6 on which asemiconductor wafer W is mounted, and an insulating plate 8 provided inan airtight manner on a ceiling opposite to mount base 6. Insulatingplate 6 transmitting microwave is formed of aluminum nitride or the likein the shape of a disk, for example.

[0007] Plasma processing apparatus 2 further includes, on the upper sideof insulating plate 8, a planar antenna member 10 in the shape of a diskwith a thickness of several millimeters as shown in FIG. 10 and awave-delay member 12 formed of a dielectric for example for decreasingthe wavelength of microwave in the radial direction of planar antennamember 10 as required. In addition, plasma processing apparatus 2includes a ceiling cooling jacket 16 above wave-delay member 12 that hasa cooling channel 14 formed for flowing a cooling water therein in orderto cool wave-delay member 12 and the like. Antenna member 10 includes agreat number of microwave radiation holes 18 that are through holesnearly circular in shape. In general, microwave radiation holes 18 arearranged concentrically as shown in FIG. 10 or spirally. An internalcable 22 of a coaxial waveguide 20 is connected to the central part ofplanar antenna member 10 for guiding a microwave of 2.45 GHz for exampleproduced by a microwave generator (not shown). The microwave istransmitted radially in the radial direction of antenna member 10 andalso discharged from microwave radiation holes 18 provided in antennamember 10 to be transmitted downward through insulating plate 8 intoprocess chamber 4. The microwave causes a plasma in process chamber 4for performing a predetermined plasma process such as etching and filmdeposition for a semiconductor wafer.

[0008] Insulating plate 8 demarcating the ceiling of process chamber 4is made of aluminum nitride (AlN) having in general a relatively lowdielectric loss. However, heat is still generated due to the dielectricloss so that much of the microwave power is wastefully consumed as thedielectric loss, and consequently, the energy efficiency deteriorates.Moreover, even if insulating plate 8 is made of any material of lowerdielectric loss, heat generation inevitably occurs due to the dielectricloss. Those materials constituting insulating plate 8 have a relativelylow thermal conductivity and thus the generated heat remains ininsulating plate 8 without being dissipated sufficiently to the sidewallof process chamber 4. Accordingly, the temperature of the heat remainingin insulating plate 8 excessively rises, which results in a problem thatthe temperature distribution of semiconductor wafer W placed adjacent toinsulating plate 8 is adversely affected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] One object of the present invention is to provide a plasmaprocessing apparatus capable of efficiently cooling an insulating platehaving a relatively low thermal conductivity.

[0010] A plasma processing apparatus according to one aspect of thepresent invention includes a process chamber including an opened ceilingand an internal space which can be evacuated, an insulating platedivided into a plurality of regions and airtightly attached to theceiling of the process chamber, a mount base placed in the processchamber for mounting thereon a workpiece to be processed, a planarantenna member placed above the insulating plate and including amicrowave radiation hole for transmitting therethrough microwave usedfor generating plasma, the microwave transmitted through the insulatingplate into the process chamber, gas supply means for supplying apredetermined gas into the process chamber, and a heat medium path forflowing a heat medium along a line by which the insulating plate isdivided into a plurality of regions.

[0011] With the structure as detailed above, the heat medium flowingthrough the heat medium path can be used to control the temperature ofthe insulating plate. Prevention is thus possible of a thermally adverseinfluence on a workpiece to be processed.

[0012] The plasma processing apparatus may further include a ring-shapedheat medium path for flowing the heat medium along a peripheral part ofthe insulating plate so as to facilitate the temperature control of theinsulating plate.

[0013] Preferably, the plasma processing apparatus further includes heatmedium temperature control means for controlling the temperature of theheat medium. The heat medium temperature control means controls thetemperature of the heat medium to render the temperature of theinsulating plate substantially constant in a normal process. The heatmedium temperature control means controls the temperature of the heatmedium to heat the insulating plate to at least a predeterminedtemperature in cleaning.

[0014] The insulating plate is formed of any ceramic material such asaluminum nitride and alumina, or quartz, for example. The insulatingplate is divided substantially radially from a central part of theinsulating plate.

[0015] Preferably, the heat medium path and the microwave radiationholes of the planar antenna member are displaced from each other withrespect to the direction in which the microwave is transmitted. Then, itnever occurs that the microwave from the microwave radiation holes isradiated onto and absorbed by the heat medium path. The microwave canthus be supplied efficiently into the process chamber.

[0016] When the plasma processing apparatus includes the ring-shapedheat medium path in addition to the heat medium path, the ring-shapedheat medium path and the microwave radiation holes of the planar antennamember may be displaced from each other with respect to the direction inwhich the microwave is transmitted.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plasmaprocessing apparatus further includes a support frame member supportingthe insulating plate divided into a plurality of regions, and thesupport frame member includes the heat medium path. The support framemember may include the heat medium path and the ring-shaped heat mediumpath. Preferably, in order to efficiently supply the microwave into theprocess chamber, the support frame member and the microwave radiationholes of the planar antenna member are displaced from each other withrespect to the direction in which the microwave is transmitted.

[0018] Preferably, the plasma processing apparatus further includesfirst sealing means for airtightly sealing between the insulating plateand the support frame member and second sealing means for airtightlysealing between the support frame member and the process chamber.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a plasmaprocessing apparatus includes a process chamber including an openedceiling and an internal space which can be evacuated, an insulatingplate divided into a plurality of regions and airtightly attached to theceiling of the process chamber, a mount base placed in the processchamber for mounting thereon a workpiece to be processed, a planarantenna member placed above the insulating plate and including aplurality of microwave radiation holes for transmitting therethroughmicrowave used for generating plasma, the microwave transmitted throughthe insulating plate into the process chamber, gas supply means forsupplying a predetermined gas into the process chamber, and a supportframe member supporting the insulating plate divided into a plurality ofregions and including a heat medium path for flowing a heat medium alonga line by which the insulating plate is divided into a plurality ofregions and along a peripheral part of the insulating plate.

[0020] In the plasma processing apparatus with the structure detailedabove, the heat medium flowing though the heat medium path formed in thesupport frame member facilitates the temperature control of theinsulating plate. For example, for a process requiring the uniformity ofthe planar temperature of a workpiece to be processed, a heat mediumkept at a low temperature can be flown to cool the insulating plate andthus always keep the insulating plate at a constant temperature, so thata thermally adverse influence on the workpiece can be prevented. Forcleaning, a heat medium maintained at a high temperature can be flown toheat the insulating plate and thus enhance the cleaning efficiency.

[0021] Preferably, the support frame member and the microwave radiationholes of the planar antenna member are displaced from each other withrespect to the direction in which the microwave is transmitted. Then, itnever occurs that the microwave from the microwave radiation holes isradiated onto and absorbed by the support frame member and accordinglythe microwave can efficiently be supplied into the process chamber.

[0022] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantagesof the present invention will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023]FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a cross section of a plasmaprocessing apparatus as an example according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the plasma processingapparatus shown in FIG. 1.

[0025]FIG. 3 is a plan view of a planar antenna member as an example.

[0026]FIG. 4 is a plan view of an insulating plate divided into foursections.

[0027]FIG. 5 is a plan view of a support frame member for supporting theinsulating plate.

[0028]FIG. 6 is a plan view of the support frame member supporting theinsulating plate.

[0029]FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the support frame member and the planarantenna member illustrating the positional relation therebetween.

[0030] FIGS. 8A-8E show insulating plates divided respectively invarious manners.

[0031]FIG. 9 diagrammatically shows a cross section of a conventionaland general plasma processing apparatus.

[0032]FIG. 10 is a plan view of a planar antenna member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] A plasma processing apparatus according to one embodiment of thepresent invention is now described in detail in conjunction withattached drawings.

[0034] According to this embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus isapplied to plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) processing andaccordingly explained. As shown, this plasma processing apparatus 30includes a process chamber 32 formed entirely in a tubular shape withits sidewall and bottom formed of a conductor such as aluminum, forexample. The inside of process chamber 32 is constituted of a sealedprocess space S.

[0035] In process chamber 32, a mount base 34 is housed on which asemiconductor wafer W for example is mounted as a workpiece to beprocessed. Mount base 34 made of anodized aluminum for example is nearlycylindrical in shape with a flat protrusion. The bottom of mount base 34is supported by a support base 36 also made of aluminum for example andformed in the shape of a cylinder. Support base 36 is placed withinprocess chamber 32 on the bottom thereof via an insulating member 38.

[0036] On the upper side of mount base 34, an electrostatic chuck orclamping mechanism (not shown) is provided for holding a wafer. Mountbase 34 is connected, via a feeder line 40, to a matching box 42 and ahigh-frequency power source 44 for bias of 13.56 MHz for example. Insome cases, high-frequency bias power source 44 may not be provided.

[0037] Support base 36 supporting mount base 34 includes a coolingjacket 46 where a cooling water flows for cooling a wafer beingsubjected to plasma processing. As required, a heater may be provided inmount base 34.

[0038] The sidewall of process chamber 32 is provided with a plasma gassupply nozzle 48 formed of a quartz pipe for supplying a plasma gas suchas argon gas for example into the chamber as well as a process gassupply nozzle 50 formed of a quartz pipe for example for supplying aprocess gas such as deposition gas for example. These nozzles 48 and 50are connected respectively to a plasma gas source 64 and a process gassource 66 by respective gas supply paths 52 and 54 via mass-flowcontrollers 56 and 58 and open-close valves 60 and 62. A deposition gassuch as SiH₄, O₂ and N₂ for example may be used as the process gas.

[0039] Moreover, a gate valve 68 is provided on the periphery of thesidewall of the chamber 32 that opens and closes when a wafer istransported into or out of the chamber, and a cooling jacket 69 isfurther provided for cooling the sidewall. An exhaust outlet 70 isprovided to the bottom of process chamber 32 that is connected to avacuum pump (not shown) in order to evacuate the inside of processchamber 32 as required to a predetermined pressure.

[0040] The ceiling of process chamber 32 is opened where an insulatingplate 72 is provided, supported by a support frame member 73, in anairtight manner via a sealing member 74 such as O-ring. Insulating plate72 characterizing the present invention that transmits microwave is madeof a ceramic material such as AlN for example with a thickness ofapproximately 20 mm.

[0041] Above insulating plate 72, a disk-shaped planar antenna member 76and a wave-delay member 78 having a high-permittivity property areprovided. Specifically, planar antenna member 76 is formed to constitutea bottom plate of a waveguide box 80 formed of a hollow cylindricalvessel shaped to be integrated with process chamber 32. Planar antennamember 76 is provided opposite mount base 34 within process chamber 32.

[0042] An outer tube 82A of a coaxial waveguide 82 is connected to thecenter in the upper portion of waveguide box 80, and an internal cable82B within waveguide 82 is connected to the central part of planarantenna member 76. Coaxial waveguide 82 is connected to a microwavegenerator 88 of 2.45 GHz for example via a mode converter 84 and awaveguide 86, for transmitting microwave to planar antenna member 76.The frequency is not limited to 2.45 GHz and another frequency, 8.35 GHzfor example, may be used. As the waveguide, a waveguide having acircular or rectangular cross section or coaxial waveguide may beemployed. According to this embodiment, the coaxial waveguide is used.On the upper side of waveguide box 80, a ceiling cooling jacket 83 isprovided having a cooling channel 81 formed therein for flowing acooling water and accordingly cooling wave-delay member 78. Aswave-delay member 78 having the high-permittivity property is providedwithin waveguide box 80 and on the upper side of planar antenna member76, the guide wavelength of microwave is decreased by thewavelength-shortening effect of wave-delay member 78. Aluminum nitridefor example may be used as wave-delay member 78.

[0043] When planar antenna member 76 is applied to an 8-inch wafer,planar antenna member 76 is formed of a disk made of a conductivematerial with a diameter from 30 to 40 mm and a thickness from 1 toseveral millimeters, particularly 5 mm for example. Specifically, planarantenna member 76 is formed for example of a copper plate or aluminumplate with its surface plated with silver. As shown in FIG. 3, this diskhas a great number of microwave radiation holes 90 formed of throughholes each in the shape of a circle for example. Radiation holes 90 arealmost uniformly arranged over antenna member 76 except for a part ofthe entire region. The arrangement of microwave radiation holes 90 isnot particularly limited. For example, microwave radiation holes 90 mayconcentrically, spirally or radially arranged for example. In addition,the shape of microwave radiation holes 90 is not limited to the circle.For example, the microwave radiation holes may be in the shape of anelongated slit. The slit-shaped radiation holes paired to form the shapeof T with a gap may be arranged. Here, microwave radiation holes 90 areformed to be displaced from support frame member 73 supportinginsulating plate 72 as explained below.

[0044] A detailed description is given here concerning insulating plate72 and support frame member 73 supporting insulating plate 72.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 4, insulating plate 72 is divided substantiallyradially, from the center of process chamber 32, into a plurality ofsections, namely into four sector-shaped sections 72A, 72B, 72C and 72D.Sections 72A-72D each have an engaging step 92 (see FIG. 2), locatedalong the entire periphery on the bottom side thereof, and having across section with a substantially right angle. Sections 72A-72D areeach made of a material through which microwave can be transmitted, forexample, ceramic material such as aluminum nitride and alumina, orquartz (SiO₂), for example. In this case, for cooling for example ofsections 72A-72D as described below, these sections are preferably madeof a material with a good thermal conductivity, for example, aluminumnitride.

[0046] Sections 72A-72D are supported by support frame member 73.Support frame member 73 is made of a material having a good thermalconductivity and never causing metallic contamination for semiconductorwafer W to be processed, for example, aluminum. Specifically, supportframe member 73 is constituted of, as shown in FIG. 5, a ring-shapedperipheral frame 73A provided along the perimeter of the opening of theceiling of process chamber 32, and four internal frames 73B, 73C, 73Dand 73E provided inside ring-shaped peripheral frame 73A and connectedto form the shape of a cross. At the center of cross-shaped internalframes 73B-73E, a circular connection part 94 is formed. Then, as shownin FIG. 6, sections 72A-72D are fit in and supported in respectiveportions enclosed by ring-shaped frame 73A and internal frames 73B-73E.Accordingly, a supporting step 96 having a cross section with asubstantially right angle is formed on the upper plane of the innerperiphery of ring-shaped peripheral frame 73A, on the upper plane onboth sides of each of internal frames 73B-73E, and on the upperperiphery of connection part 94. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the lowerplane of engaging step 92 of sections 72A-72D is supported, via asealing member 98 such as O-ring, on the upper plane of supporting step96 being in contact with engaging step 92. In this way, the opening ofthe ceiling of process chamber 32 is airtightly sealed.

[0047] Support frame member 73 has a heat medium path 100 formedtherein. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, heat medium path 100 includesa ring-shaped path 100A formed inside and along ring-shaped peripheralframe 73A, and cross-shaped paths 110B-100E formed along and insidecross-shaped internal frames 73B-73E. These paths 100A and 100B-100Ecommunicate with each other. At connection part 94, a confluence space102 is formed where cross-shaped paths 100B-100E are coupled.

[0048] A medium inlet 104 for providing a heat medium therethrough isformed at a part of ring-shaped peripheral frame 73A and a medium outlet106 is formed opposite medium inlet 104 with respect to the center ofring-shaped peripheral frame 73A. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, acirculation path 108 is provided for communication between medium inlet104 and medium outlet 106. In communication path 108, a circulation pump110 for forcing the heat medium to circulate as well as heat mediumtemperature control means 112 for controlling the temperature of thecirculated heat medium are provided.

[0049]FIG. 7 shows support frame member 73 and planar antenna member 76viewed from the bottom thereof for illustrating a positional relationtherebetween (the sections of the insulating plate are not shown).Planar antenna member 76 has its microwave radiation holes 90 arrangednot to match in position with support frame member 73 with respect tothe direction in which microwave is transmitted (the directionperpendicular to the plane of the drawing). In other words, microwaveradiation holes 90 and support frame member 73 are arranged not tooverlap each other in order to prevent the microwave transmitted throughinsulating plate 72 from being absorbed by support frame member 73 madeof aluminum.

[0050] A processing method applied to the plasma processing apparatusstructured as explained above is described below.

[0051] Semiconductor wafer W is first placed in process chamber 32 by atransport arm (not shown) via gate valve 68, and a lifter bin (notshown) is moved up and down to set wafer W on a mount plane on the upperside of mount base 34.

[0052] Then, the inside of process chamber 32 is maintained at apredetermined process pressure, for example, in the range from 0.01 toseveral pascals. Argon gas for example is supplied from plasma gassupply nozzle 48 at a controlled flow rate while deposition gas such asSiH₄, O₂ and N₂ for example is supplied from process gas supply nozzle50 at a controlled flow rate. Simultaneously, microwave from microwavegenerator 88 is supplied via waveguide 86 and coaxial waveguide 82 toplanar antenna member 76 so as to provide the microwave with thewavelength shortened by wave-delay member 78 into process space S.Plasma is thus generated to carry out a predetermined plasma process,for example, a film deposition process by plasma CVD.

[0053] The microwave of 2.45 GHz for example produced by microwavegenerator 88 is mode-converted into TEM mode for example, and thenpropagated within coaxial waveguide 82 to reach planar antenna member 76in waveguide box 80. The microwave is then propagated from the centralpart, which is connected to internal cable 82B, radially to theperipheral part of disk-shaped antenna member 76, while the microwave istransmitted through microwave radiation holes 90 and insulating plate 72to be supplied into process space S directly below antenna member 76.Here, a great number of circular microwave radiation holes 90 are formedand arranged concentrically or spirally and almost uniformly over planarantenna member 76.

[0054] The microwave excites the argon gas to generate plasma whichdiffuses downward. The process gas is accordingly activated to generatean active seed. By the action of the active seed, the surface of wafer Wis processed, for example, plasma CVD-processed.

[0055] It is unavoidable that, when the microwave is transmitted throughinsulating plate 72, 30 % for example of the microwave power is consumeddue to the dielectric loss at this portion and accordingly heatgeneration occurs. In addition, plasma heat, radiant heat and the likecause insulating plate 72 to be heated. If the heat generation is leftas it is, the temperature of insulating plate 72 itself graduallyincreases which could have a thermally adverse influence onsemiconductor wafer W being processed. According to this embodiment,insulating plate 72 is appropriately cooled by allowing a heat mediumused for cooling to flow through heat medium path 100 formed in supportframe member 73. It is thus possible to prevent the thermally adverseinfluence on semiconductor wafer W.

[0056] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the heat medium for coolingthat is supplied from medium inlet 104 into ring-shaped path 100A ofring-shaped peripheral frame 73A branches to the right and left to flowthrough ring-shaped path 100A in directions opposite to each other. Apart of the heat medium flows on the way into cross-shaped paths 100Band 100C formed in internal frames 73B and 73C to reach confluence space102 of connection part 94. The heat medium further flows intoring-shaped paths 100D and 100E, thereafter meets the heat mediumflowing in ring-shaped path 100A of ring-shaped peripheral frame 73A,and discharged directly from medium outlet 106. The discharged heatmedium has its temperature appropriately controlled by heat mediumtemperature control means 112 and then supplied again from medium inlet104 and circulated for use.

[0057] As explained above, the heat medium for cooling that flowsthrough ring-shaped path 100A as well as cross-shaped paths 100B-100Emakes it possible to cool support frame member 73, namely ring-shapedperipheral frame 73A and cross-shaped internal frames 73B-73E as well aseach of sections 72A-72D of insulating plate 72 supported by supportframe member 73.

[0058] In this case, with an increase of the number of processed wafers,the temperature of insulating plate 72 tends to gradually increase.Then, the temperature of heat medium is gradually lowered or the flowrate thereof is gradually increased in order to gradually enhance thecooling power. In this way, the temperature of heat medium is controlledby heat medium temperature control means 112 so that insulating plate 72is always kept at substantially the same temperature during process, forexample, always kept at approximately 80° C. Here, the temperaturedepends on a process temperature.

[0059] The temperature of insulating plate 72 can thus be maintained ata substantially constant temperature during a period in which aplurality of wafers are processed. As a result, the repeatability of aplasma process for wafers can remarkably be improved and the planaruniformity of the plasma process for wafers can also be improved. Inthis case, cooling wafer, fluorinert, chiller and the like can be usedas the heat medium.

[0060] According to this embodiment, confluence space 102 is provided atthe central part of the insulating plate where the heat radiationefficiency is lowest and thus the temperature tends to be highest, inorder to allow most of the heat medium to flow into and concentrate inconfluence space 102 and accordingly enhance the cooling efficiency ofthe central part. Therefore, the particular heating of the central partof the insulating plate can be prevented and accordingly the planaruniformity of the wafer temperature can further be enhanced.

[0061] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the cooling efficiency ofinsulating plate 72 can further be enhanced by using aluminum nitride asthe material constituting insulating plate 72 that has a relatively highthermal conductivity.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 7, microwave radiation holes 90 of planarantenna member 76 are displaced from support frame member 73 so thatradiation holes 90 do not match in position with support frame member73. Therefore, the microwave radiated from microwave radiation holes 90is not absorbed by support frame member 73 made of aluminum andaccordingly the efficiency of use of the microwave can be improved.

[0063] Apparently, although the efficiency of use of the microwaveslightly deteriorates, microwave radiation holes 90 and support framemember 73 may partially match in position.

[0064] When the conventional apparatus in which no cooling is performedfor the insulating plate is actually used, the insulating plate isgradually heated to reach a temperature of approximately 300° C. On theother hand, when the apparatus of the present invention is used in whichcooling is effected, the temperature of insulating plate 72 can bemaintained at a constant temperature of approximately 80° C.

[0065] When cleaning is done for removing any unnecessary film attachedto the internal wall for example of process chamber 32 by means of acleaning gas, ClF₃ for example, the cleaning efficiency can be enhancedby heating insulating plate 72. Then, a heat medium for heating isallowed to flow. In actual, the temperature of the heat medium may beincreased to be higher than that for the process as discussed above.Alternatively, the heat medium for cooling may be changed to any heatmedium for heating.

[0066] In this way, the heat medium for heating is flown at the time ofcleaning so that insulating plate 72 is heated to and maintained at atemperature of approximately 120° C. and thus the cleaning efficiencycan be improved.

[0067] FIGS. 8A-8E show insulating plates 72 divided in various mannersrespectively. According to this embodiment, insulating plate 72 isdivided into four sections 72A-72D as shown in FIG. 8A and thedescription thereof is presented above accordingly. The number ofsections produced by dividing insulating plate 72 or the manner ofdividing insulating plate 72 is not particularly limited. For example,insulating plate 72 may be divided into two sections 72A and 72B asshown in FIG. 8B, into three sections 72A-72C as shown in FIG. 8C, intosix sections 72A-72F as shown in FIG. 8D, or into eight sections 72A-72Has shown in FIG. 8E.

[0068] As the number of sections produced by dividing the insulatingplate increases, the cooling efficiency for the insulating plate can bemade higher in process, or the heating efficiency for the insulatingplate can be made higher in cleaning.

[0069] The description above of the embodiment of the present inventionis applied to the film deposition on a semiconductor wafer. However, theembodiment is not limited thereto and applicable to other plasmaprocesses such as plasma etching and plasma ashing.

[0070] In addition, the workpiece to be processed is not limited to thesemiconductor wafer, and glass substrate, LCD substrate and the like maybe employed as a workpiece.

[0071] Although the present invention has been described and illustratedin detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way ofillustration and example only and is not to be taken by way oflimitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limitedonly by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising: aprocess chamber including an opened ceiling and an internal space whichcan be evacuated; an insulating plate divided into a plurality ofregions and airtightly attached to the ceiling of said process chamber;a mount base placed in said process chamber for mounting thereon aworkpiece to be processed; a planar antenna member placed above saidinsulating plate and including a microwave radiation hole fortransmitting therethrough microwave used for generating plasma, saidmicrowave transmitted through said insulating plate into said processchamber; gas supply means for supplying a predetermined gas into saidprocess chamber; and a heat medium path for flowing a heat medium alonga line by which said insulating plate is divided into a plurality ofregions.
 2. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising a ring-shaped heat medium path for flowing the heatmedium along a peripheral part of said insulating plate.
 3. The plasmaprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising heatmedium temperature control means for controlling the temperature of saidheat medium.
 4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3,wherein said heat medium temperature control means controls thetemperature of said heat medium to render the temperature of saidinsulating plate substantially constant in a normal process.
 5. Theplasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said heatmedium temperature control means controls the temperature of said heatmedium to heat said insulating plate to at least a predeterminedtemperature in cleaning.
 6. The plasma processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said insulating plate is formed of a material selectedfrom the group consisting of aluminum nitride, alumina and quartz. 7.The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidinsulating plate is divided substantially radially from a central partof said insulating plate.
 8. The plasma processing apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein said heat medium path and the microwave radiationholes of said planar antenna member are displaced from each other withrespect to the direction in which the microwave is transmitted.
 9. Theplasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein saidring-shaped heat medium path and the microwave radiation holes of saidplanar antenna member are displaced from each other with respect to thedirection in which the microwave is transmitted.
 10. The plasmaprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supportframe member supporting said insulating plate divided into a pluralityof regions, wherein said support frame member includes said heat mediumpath.
 11. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, furthercomprising a support frame member supporting said insulating platedivided into a plurality of regions, wherein said support frame memberincludes said heat medium path and said ring-shaped heat medium path.12. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein saidsupport frame member and the microwave radiation holes of said planarantenna member are displaced from each other with respect to thedirection in which the microwave is transmitted.
 13. The plasmaprocessing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: firstsealing means for airtightly sealing between said insulating plate andsaid support frame member; and second sealing means for airtightlysealing between said support frame member and said process chamber. 14.A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a process chamber including anopened ceiling and an internal space which can be evacuated; aninsulating plate divided into a plurality of regions and airtightlyattached to the ceiling of said process chamber; a mount base placed insaid process chamber for mounting thereon a workpiece to be processed; aplanar antenna member placed above said insulating plate and including aplurality of microwave radiation holes for transmitting therethroughmicrowave used for generating plasma, said microwave transmitted throughsaid insulating plate into said process chamber; gas supply means forsupplying a predetermined gas into said process chamber; and a supportframe member supporting said insulating plate divided into a pluralityof regions and including a heat medium path for flowing a heat mediumalong a line by which said insulating plate is divided into a pluralityof regions and along a peripheral part of said insulating plate.
 15. Theplasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said supportframe member and the microwave radiation holes of said planar antennamember are displaced from each other with respect to the direction inwhich the microwave is transmitted.